Saturday 17 March 2018 08:17, UK
Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool side will relish the chance of trying to seal their place in the last four of the Champions League by beating Manchester City, says former Reds defender Phil Babb.
England's two remaining representatives in Europe's premier competition will meet over two legs in April after being pitted against each other in the quarter-final draw at UEFA's headquarters on Friday.
Liverpool are the top scorers in the Champions League this season with 28 goals in the competition so far and Babb believes Liverpool will be brimming with confidence after January's Premier League win over Pep Guardiola's team.
"I think they'll take great heart and belief from their game at Anfield not so long ago, which ended 4-3," Babb told Sky Sports News.
"Yes, City got stronger towards the end of the game and you saw a few frailties from Liverpool's defence, but [Mohamed] Salah, [Roberto] Firmino and [Sadio] Mane will feel as though they can score against anyone.
"I think they will be relishing this draw - probably more than I am at the moment."
Liverpool will host Premier League champions-elect City in the first leg on April 4 before making the short trip to the Etihad Stadium for the second leg on April 10.
The two teams have only met twice in two-legged encounters, both of which came in the League Cup. Liverpool emerged victorious on both of those occasions, in 1981 and again in 2012.
Babb suspects most people would have preferred to see the teams avoid each other at this stage of the Champions League and says there is very little to choose between the two sides.
"It's probably the draw that both teams didn't want," he said.
"From the neutral's point of view, and especially for the British and UK public, they probably wanted to see at least two teams get to the semi-final.
"Alas, it's not going to happen but what a draw. Both teams have beaten each other this season in the Premier League and it really is a tough one to call."
Liverpool boss Klopp agrees with Babb's assessment that the draw is far from straightforward for his side, but the German is raring to go.
"We've lost once and we've won once against them in the league," Klopp said.
"I don't think they thought before the best draw they could have got is Liverpool. That's a sign for us and how strong we can be.
"I've said it before, and it's still the truth, it's always common in a draw that you'll get your neighbour, more or less," the Liverpool boss added.
"To be honest, I don't mind. It is exactly like it was before - we take what we've got. Now it's Manchester City - let's go!"
